Golf club shaft



arch 19,' L' D wlNTERS GOLF CLUB SHAFT Filed Sept. 22, 1952 QN' nessePatented Mar. 19, 1935 ANITE i My inventicny relates `more partit-ularlytothe construction of the handle orgrip end cfa golf Aclub shaft,Whether the shaft be of woodV or steel; the invention having for itsobject a con'n struction affording what maybe termed a. natural grip,namely a handle portion .better adapted tov the hands orfgrrip of"the,user;wit h` the handle portion ofv theshaftlso constructed `thatrotational movement of the clubfduring the *stroke isimpossible. g i.

Another objectl ofthe inventionis to provide a handle portion ofthecharacterjdefined; which is. also so arrangedfrelative to the,forwardor striking face of the club-head, thatthe` latter' will beproperly disposed in addressing the balland therefore a :more accurateshot made than otherwise would be 'the case.

The invention also has for its object the provision of such handle orgrip, Whether constructed during manufacture of the shaft or applied toshafts of clubs in use, which will not `interfere with the properbalance of the club.

All of these features and advantages will be readily comprehended fromthe description of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a golf club provided with myinvention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the upper end of a steelshaft with my improved grip 0r hand-grasping portion applied thereto.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional View through the grip portion of a steelshaft, provided with the hand grasping portion applied as in Figure 2,and showing a club-head as viewed from above.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, similar to Figure 2, of theupper end of a wood shaft with my improved grip or hand grasping portionapplied thereto.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view through the grip portion of a Woodshaft, provided with the hand grasping portion applied as in Figure 4,and sho-wing a club-head as viewed looking down.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figures 3 and 5, illustrating theformation of a steel shaft to pro vide my improved hand graspingportion.

My invention involves the provision of a golf club with a hand graspingportion or handle oval or elliptical in cross-section, with the majoraxis of the hand `grasping portion preferably disposed at a proper oracute angle relative to the forward face of the head of the club, as ismore clearly shown in Figures 3, 5 and 6.

This hand grasping portion, indicated at l0 in Figure 1, is of properprescribedlength and PATENT :emes f preferably tapers `toward''fi-,lillebottom or lower end as shown. 1 In thev particular exemplication Voftheinvention as disclosed inV Figures 2 and 3, my improved handV graspingportion is shown subsequently appliedto a steel golf club shaft l1 ofcircular` cross-section, see l'igure.v f

The Vsteel;A shaft having been formed in the usual manner and the head,12 of the club having beenapplied thereto, the hand grasping portion ofthe shaft 171 is then formed by applyingelongated channel sections orlsegments 13, -13 thereto; the segments being applied in 'any suitable nmanner, as for exampleby a suitable adhesive.

, They channel sections or'segrnents 13, 13 are preferablytmadeofalight` material, in order that the balancepffthe-club maybnct beaiected, by using molded rubber, molded cork, aluminum, or a suitablelight wood.

Applicant has found that the use of balsa `wood d 4is especiallysuitable for this use, because of its extreme lightness and spongy oryielding nature.

The channel sections or segments 13, 13 are preferably made with theirgreatest thickness ind are preferably such that the opposinglongitudinal edges of the segments will be in slight spaced relation,thereby somewhat increasing the width of what may be termed the flatsides 16, 16 of the handle 10; althoughthe longitudinal edges maycontact each other if desired.

As is more clearly shown in Figure 3, these segments 13, 13 arepreferably so secured to the shaft 11 that the major axis of theelliptical or oval handle 10 will be disposed in a direction at an acuteangle to the head of the club. The oval or elliptical handle provides anatural grip `for the club; and by having the major or long axis of thehandle arranged as shown and described, a proper presentation of thehead of the club is ensured and as a result hooking or slicing of theball is obviated.

After the segments 13, 13 have been secured to the shaft in the mannershown, the segments are then provided with the usual wrapping, namelyleather, which may be wound about the segments in the manner-usuallyemployed. With steel shafts, the end of the shaft is generally providedwith a small wood core as at 1'7, Figure 2, which also enables theinitial end of the leather or wrapping strip 18 to be tacked thereto.

In Figures 4 and 5 I show the application of my invention to apreviously constructed Wood shaft 19 of circular cross-section. Like inthe steel shaft club shown in Figures 2 and 3, the channel sections orsegments 13, 13 are glued or otherwise suitably securedv to the shaftagainst movement and appliedthereto vso as toA provide the oval orelliptical hand grasping portion having its long or major aXis disposedat an angle`l vto the head 12, as shown in Figure 5. v vy The handgrasping portion 10 of the club is then provided with a suitablecovering oir-wrapping 18 in the usual manner. andas previouslydescribed.

The invention, as thus described, denes'ex-L emplication ofthepprovision of my improved l hand grasping portion to previouslym'adeclubs having the usual shafts of vcircular cross-section. It isapparent, however, that ymy improved natural grip may vbev formed inthe' shaft Aduring its manufacture; vvas'forexampl'c'e in Figure' 6*y Ishow its applicationy to a steelshaft 'wherein the upper or handgrasping portion 20 is compressed'y or somewhat iiattened into ovalA orelliptical form as shown, with the major airis off this oval or handgrasping portion disposed in adirection-'at an angle`to= the 'head 12 orstriking face thereof as previously describedl and thus providing theWhererthe channel sections or segments 13 z are made lof metal, such asAaluminum to be" applied to a steel shaft, the segments maybe welded orotherwise suitably secured inlplace;A it being'understood, of course,that Where the,

grip portion' is formed by subsequentlyapplying the segments to theshaft, the segments must be rigidly secured against any possibility ofshiit-v A sible and may be made without, however, depart ing from thespirit of my invention.

JVWhatI claim is: K

1. A` golf` club shaft comprisinga club-headv section and anupper;section integral with the club-head section, the upper sectionbeing provided with an immovable hand-grasping portion of ellipticalcross-sectionwithY the major axis disposed at approximatelytwenty-twddegrees' rearward relative to a Ahorizontal line lyingj on thestrikingvfaceofthe'club-head. I

2'.l A golf crutshaft providedrmth a head ,at

one end and ahand-grasping portion at the other end,'the handgraspingportion being of e11ipti`` K cal' cross-sectionV withthe major axisimmovably,

arranged at vapproximately twenty-two degrees rearward relative to ahorizontal line lying on the striking'face of the head,'saidhand-grasping V'portion involving' elongated segmental portions fixedlysecured to diametrically'opposite sides ofthe main body of thesl'iaftfAf 'l LEROY D; WIN'rERs; l

